Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies
Author
Moore, Matthew R.
Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida Building 1881 Natural Drive Area, Steinmetz Hall, Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611 - 0620, USA
Author
Jameson, Mary L.
Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University 1845 Fairmount, Box 26, Wichita, KS 67260 - 0026, USA
maryliz.jameson@gmail.com
Author
Garner, Beulah H.
Natural History Museum, Insects Division, Department of Life Sciences, Cromwell Road, London SW 7 5 BD, UK
Author
Audibert, Cedric
Musee des Confluences, Centre de Conservation et d'Etude des Collections, 13 A Rue Bancel, F- 69007 Lyon, France
Author
Smith, Andrew B. T.
Research Division, Canadian Museum of Nature, P. O. Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1 P 6 P 4, Canada
Author
Seidel, Matthias
text
ZooKeys
2017
2017-04-06
666
1
349
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.666.9191
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.666.9191
1313-2970-666-1
B3C377E8BBB14F328AECA2C22D1E625A
C43EEB41A94B930FFE439D1FAD29FF9C
579453
Pseudogeniates Ohaus, 1910
Fig. 99
Type species.
Pseudogeniates richterianus
Ohaus, 1910.
Species.
3 species; length 12-19 mm.
The genus
Pseudogeniates
is endemic to Argentina, and species are associated with arid habitats in the Chaco, Pampa, Espinal, and Monte ecoregions (
Jameson and Ocampo 2012
). The genus includes three species that are poorly represented in collections.
Ohaus (1910a)
puzzled over the first specimens that he studied in the genus, and originally thought that they represented teratological abnormalities due to the unusual form of the clypeus and mouthparts that resemble species in the
Geniatini
and
Anoplognathini
(both
Rutelinae
). As the genus name implies, members resemble species in the genus
Geniates
(
Geniatini
), but they are easily diagnosed by the feathery fringe of setae on the ventral edge of the elytra, the mesosternal peg that is lacking, claws on all legs that are simple (lacking inner tubercle), the incomplete frontoclypeal suture, the maxillae that lack teeth, and the mandibular apex that has only one, recurved tooth (
Jameson and Ocampo 2012
).
Species in the genus are reviewed and an identification key is available (
Jameson and Ocampo 2012
). Natural history is poorly known, and the immature stages have not been described. Adults have been collected at lights from December to February at elevations ranging from 500-750 m.